Shock pump qustion

Kowalski675

I need to buy a shock pump for my new ride. Is it worth choosing the ones with the two stage release (to prevent pressure loss when unscrewing), or does it make no difference?

nicklouse

you are not losing any pressure the valve on the shock closes and then air comes out of the pump.

Kowalski675

nicklouse wrote:

you are not losing any pressure the valve on the shock closes and then air comes out of the pump.

So you can't lose a small amount of pressure as you unscrew the pump head from the valve (like when removing a pump from a schraeder tyre valve)? What's the point of the two stage unscrewing "no pressure loss" type heads then (where you unscrew the centre to close the shcraeder valve then unscrew the pump from the valve head)? Are they just bollox then?

Boromedic

I got one of these mate: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Beto-MP-035-S ... 43bc753c9c

Cheap and it works brilliantly, don't need to spend a fortune :-)

nicklouse

Kowalski675 wrote:

nicklouse wrote:

you are not losing any pressure the valve on the shock closes and then air comes out of the pump.

So you can't lose a small amount of pressure as you unscrew the pump head from the valve (like when removing a pump from a schraeder tyre valve)? What's the point of the two stage unscrewing "no pressure loss" type heads then (where you unscrew the centre to close the shcraeder valve then unscrew the pump from the valve head)? Are they just bollox then?

no idea never needed to think about it in all the years of riding and servicing/setting up bikes.

lots of people think they are losing air from the shock/fork when they are not and someone thought it would be good thing to sell on. the FEAR.

Kowalski675

Boromedic wrote:

I got one of these mate: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Beto-MP-035-S ... 43bc753c9c

Cheap and it works brilliantly, don't need to spend a fortune :-)

That's one of the two I'm choosing between (and has the two stage unscrew head, so you'll know what I mean). The other's a Giant Control, which doesn't have the two stage release, but can be used for tyres too, so I could carry one pump for two jobs when out riding (my LBS has both for £19.95 each, the Giant's reduced from £29.99).

Kowalski675

nicklouse wrote:

Kowalski675 wrote:

nicklouse wrote:

you are not losing any pressure the valve on the shock closes and then air comes out of the pump.

So you can't lose a small amount of pressure as you unscrew the pump head from the valve (like when removing a pump from a schraeder tyre valve)? What's the point of the two stage unscrewing "no pressure loss" type heads then (where you unscrew the centre to close the shcraeder valve then unscrew the pump from the valve head)? Are they just bollox then?

no idea never needed to think about it in all the years of riding and servicing/setting up bikes.

lots of people think they are losing air from the shock/fork when they are not and someone thought it would be good thing to sell on. the FEAR.

It'll only be a tiny amount, but surely you'll lose a little air unscrewing the pump head from teh valve, same as removing a pump from a tyre valve - so if two otherwise equivalent pumps are the same price, it can't hurt to have the two stage release. It's just a question of whether that's of more benefit to me than the Giant's dual purpose nature.

Boromedic

Kowalski675 wrote:

Boromedic wrote:

I got one of these mate: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Beto-MP-035-S ... 43bc753c9c

Cheap and it works brilliantly, don't need to spend a fortune :-)

That's one of the two I'm choosing between (and has the two stage unscrew head, so you'll know what I mean). The other's a Giant Control, which doesn't have the two stage release, but can be used for tyres too, so I could carry one pump for two jobs when out riding (my LBS has both for £19.95 each, the Giant's reduced from £29.99).

I'm no expert on either but remember looking myself and a lot of info said you'll be pumping forever on a flat tyre with a dual pump and when will you need to pressure your shock on the trails? Kinda made sense at the time as I only ever check my shock once a month or so.

Depends on what you need mate, I bought a Lezyne mini track pump which has saved my arms on a couple of flats, having seen a few people attempt to inflate a flat using a mini pump I'm glad I did! The Blackburn pumps mentioned in the other thread are pretty cool too.

Kowalski675

Boromedic wrote:

I'm no expert on either but remember looking myself and a lot of info said you'll be pumping forever on a flat tyre with a dual pump and when will you need to pressure your shock on the trails?

The shock pump would take longer to inflate a tyre than a normal hand pump then? I run fairly low tyre pressures (30psi currently) 'cos I'm a lightweight (literally and figuratively) I already carry a Balckburn Mountain Air pump in my hydration bag currently (that's the one I posted on the other thread). I wouldn't carry a shock pump all the time once I've got the setup I'm happy with, but with it being a new bike (and me having never had a full suss bike or air forks) I thought it would be useful to carry one for the first few rides, for if I want to experiment with the pressures out on the trails.

cooldad

Just get a basic shock pump - the combo ones are rubbish. Don't do anything well.
Tyres need high volume, low pressure, forks need low volume, high pressure. Generally.
Shock pump and track pump at home, mini pump on the trail.

Kowalski675

cooldad wrote:

Just get a basic shock pump - the combo ones are rubbish. Don't do anything well.
Tyres need high volume, low pressure, forks need low volume, high pressure. Generally.
Shock pump and track pump at home, mini pump on the trail.

Would you avoid this Giant one then?

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/gea ... /#features

I don't have a track pump at home, I just use the same footpump I use for my car and motorbikes (half the reason I want to change the Presta valve tubes on my new bike to Schraeder tubes). I have a compressor too, but it's not worth dragging out just to put a few psi in tyres.

Boromedic

Kowalski675 wrote:

The shock pump would take longer to inflate a tyre than a normal hand pump then? I run fairly low tyre pressures (30psi currently) 'cos I'm a lightweight (literally and figuratively) I already carry a Balckburn Mountain Air pump in my hydration bag currently (that's the one I posted on the other thread). I wouldn't carry a shock pump all the time once I've got the setup I'm happy with, but with it being a new bike (and me having never had a full suss bike or air forks) I thought it would be useful to carry one for the first few rides, for if I want to experiment with the pressures out on the trails.

Yep you'll be there for a while!

Basically all the info I looked at is echoed in cooldad's post above, so I'd keep your Blackburn for the trails and buy that Beto pump from ebay for £15. Its small enough to fit in your pack for a few test rides whilst you get set up, then you can leave it at home or keep it in the car whilst you ride. Generally if something is supposed to do 2 things it won't do either as well as well as something designed specifically for that task.

cooldad

Just to add to your misery, you can't normally put Shraeder tubes on Presta rims without drilling out the holes, and depending on the rims, that might not be a good idea.
You can get adapters but they are a bit rubbish as well.
I'd just get a decent track pump - Beto are OK (sold as name brands with different labels) under £20.
Their shock pumps are also good - again sold as all sorts with labels and higher prices.

Kowalski675

cooldad wrote:

Just to add to your misery, you can't normally put Shraeder tubes on Presta rims without drilling out the holes, and depending on the rims, that might not be a good idea.

That's a pain in the arse then, I assumed the valve outer was the same diameter (a quick google tells me that Prestas are 6mm, but Schraders are 8mm). The rims are Mavic XM319. The description on Mavic's website says "Valve hole diameter: 8.5 mm, supplied with valve adapter" - does that mean the adapter is fitted to allow Presta valves, and I could remove it to fit Schraders? Is there any advantage to Presta valves?

The main reason I want to change from the silly Prestas is that all my pressure gauges are car/bike style Schrader fitment, so I've got half a dozen or so gauges no way of checking the tyre pressures on the new bike (my Blackburn pump I carry on rides fits either valve type). They have that same Beto shock pump in my LBS (identical apart from the dial face markings) for £20, it's one of the two I was deliberating between (the other being the aforementioned Giant Control).

stubs

Yes just pull the little black plastic adapter out of your Mavic rims and fit schraeder tubes. Oh and dont bother with those wanky 2 stage release shock pumps you dont lose any air out of the shock, its all marketing crap to get you to spend an extra tenner. The hiss of air you hear when you release the valve is from the pump not the shock.

Kowalski675

stubs wrote:

Yes just pull the little black plastic adapter out of your Mavic rims and fit schraeder tubes.

Cool, that's what I was hoping for.

Oh and dont bother with those wanky 2 stage release shock pumps you dont lose any air out of the shock, its all marketing crap to get you to spend an extra tenner. The hiss of air you hear when you release the valve is from the pump not the shock.

I wasn't looking for a 2 stage release pump specifically (I'd not even come across them until yesterday), it's merely that the two that seemed good quality at a cheap price (both £20) at my LBS shop happened to be the Giant and the Beto (with it's two stage head). The Giant seemed a bit sturdier, but from what's been said I'm now wondering wheteher it's compromised by its dual purpose nature, or whether it's specifically designed as a shock pump (it's named as a shock pump), but just happens to be able to inflate tyres too.

stubs

You can get a decent shock pump for as little as a tenner and a decent mini pump for your tyres for about a tenner. Both will do there specific job very well about ten times better than a single dual purpose pump for any amount of money. You need a tyre pump and a shock pump weighs next to nothing and takes up hardly any space in a trail pack so get both. Once you have found your shock pressures you dont really need to carry the shock pump just keep it in the car or shed for the occasional waft of air to keep everything at the right sag or if you suddenly hit the pies and gain loads of weight.

Kowalski675

I already have my Blackburn tyre pump (ten quid) in my backpack, so I've already got mid ride tyre inflation covered. I am trying to gain some weight, but it doesn't happen overnight unfortunately, lol. I was hoping to get out on the new bike on Sunday, if I've got the other bits ready in time, so was looking to buy the shock pump locally to get it before the weekend, otherwise I could save £5 buying the same Beto pump in the Ebay link posted further up the thread.

Kowalski675

cyd190468 wrote:

It's too hot to ride with a pack on over here.

Catch 22 situation then there - if it's too hot to wear a hydration pack then surely it's too hot to carry enough water in a frame mounted bottle? Anyway, I have no sympathy for those who live in a nice climate, lol

Not sure what you mean about the two pump stages? They have one setting for shock pump use and another for tyre inflation use?

Kowalski675

Aye, that looks just like the giant one, in a different colourscheme. I bought the Beto one for £15 from the posted Ebay link in the end. Seems sturdy and inflates/deflates my suspenders admirably. Easy to use with the pivoting braided hose, and the 2 stage head may not be strictly necessary, but it certainly can't do any harm - there's no hiss of any pressure escaping when you disconnect it.

swod1

i've just recently bought some rockshox rebas for my bike and was unsure of which shock pump to buy.

I cant spend too much so i will try the beto one, a bit short on money after damaging my rear wheel and having to buy a new one

Kowalski675

It's cheap, it does the job and it seems sturdily built. Can't go wrong for £15.

swod1

Kowalski675 wrote:

It's cheap, it does the job and it seems sturdily built. Can't go wrong for £15.

Yes, because I was wondering how regularly, I would need to put air in the forks ?

stubs

swod1 wrote:

Kowalski675 wrote:

It's cheap, it does the job and it seems sturdily built. Can't go wrong for £15.

Yes, because I was wondering how regularly, I would need to put air in the forks ?

About every 3 or 4 months my forks need a top up of a few psi. I do play about with the rear shock pressure a bit more but even then maybe once a month tops.